Your Evening Sift

I can't recall another stretch of rain in April like we've had these past few days. Maybe Go Hydrology! can help us out with the stats on that one. Lots going on in the South Florida blogosphere today so get comfortable and let's get into your evening Sift.

A- When it comes to torture, the U.S. is pretty much doing what it wants, according to this post from Discourse.

B- After almost two months away, Brickell Life is back and tells us what we can expect from the new Miami trolley service.

We actually took the opportunity to ride the trolley on Saturday and you know what, it works. Plus, it's free. You can expect a trolley to roll by your stop once at least every 15 minutes and it gets you where you need to go in air conditioned comfort and style. We went from Brickell Key all the way up to Margaret Pace Park to have lunch with some friends who live in the one of the new buildings near there. The ride was efficient, clean, fast and it sure beat sitting in traffic and finding a place to park.

C- Obalesque makes me laugh.

D- Seriously, I give up on what influences Worst Pizza's rating system these days.

Not extremely great quality by for the money I will not complain too much about the taste, since $4.79 doesn’t make me think I am getting the highest quality to begin with. I didn’t like that on this visit they had no napkins on the table, so I had to go back up to the counter to ask for them.

E- South Florida restaurateur David Manero [BurgerFi, DeVito's] is being accused by former business partners of some pretty serious criminal activity, according to Eater Miami.

F- Florida Keys Girl didn't have a very good experience at Yard House at Gulfstream Park.

When my salad arrived, it was not the Caesar I had ordered, but rather a seared tuna salad with some sort of Asian slaw. It looked okay, but not good enough to keep. A few minutes later I got the Caesar originally ordered. The tuna was rare and did not look particularly good. But now I was on my second salad and, despite the fries, was pretty hungry, so I gave it a shot. The tuna was just not fresh.

G- Your South Florida Moment of the Day, courtesy of South Florida Lawyers.

H- What's the difference between Democrats and Republicans? Salty Eggs has some of the answers.

Taken in total, studies such as these have begun to paint a picture that liberalism tends to foster free thought and attract people who value reason over faith, rationality over rigid dogma. To liberals, these are ideas that have already largely been taken at face value. One of the problems liberals and conservatives immediately run into when talking about politics is the nagging suspicion on the part of conservatives that liberals have a sense of smug superiority, a sense that they are smarter and more grounded in reality than their conservative counterparts. The problem on the liberal side is that conservatives are correct in this assumption.

I- Annush on the Causeway created some "special needs" delights for the recent Food Blogger's Bake Sale and files her report on this past weekend's event.

It was in this spirit that I agreed to join some of Miami’s Food Bloggers, food writers, and chefs at the Food Blogger Bake Sale this past Saturday. It was a good cause that I thought would give me the opportunity to create yummy non-traditional treats (ie- gluten-free, vegan, sugar free).

J- There's a Spanish language reality series coming to television that features Miami's food trucks, according to the Burger Beast.





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SFDB Ecard Of The Day

 

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Breitbart's Second Coming

Oh, Lord....



Andrew Breitbart is well on his way to a seeming martyrdom with the Radical Right who, no doubt, believe that Andy is well-deserved of at least 72 virgins for the liberal lives he trashed and violated until his insides blew up from all the hate he possessed. SFDB readers are very familiar with the following video that was apparently left on the cutting room floor of the guy who put together the above tribute.




Why it was omitted is a mystery because it really shows the essence of what Breitbart was: an angry, hateful, provocateur who was idolized by the 20%'ers for a willingness to say and do anything to aggravate the Left. He possessed no deep thinking or conservative philosophical message, just a intense desire to piss off Democrats.

For many Republicans, this is all that's really important these days. Sarah Palin, Allen West, Ted Nugent, Rush Limbaugh...these are the spokespersons for the type of conservatism that is lacking in any kind of intellect or substantive thought but exists solely to vilify, degrade and smear Democrats and those who call themselves liberals.

Stickers, t-shirts, blog icons, and a cheesy YouTube memorial.

That's one hell of a legacy. But it probably fits the psyche of the man just right.

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SFDB's A Few Moments At The F.A.T. Village Art Walk

The F.A.T. Village Art Walk will never be as big or as crazy or as carnivalesque as its sister to the South. And that's what makes it so nice.

Saturday night was this month's event and it was probably one of the better ones that I've been to recently. Things started off a little slow but by 8 it was rocking and rolling and there were lots of folks strolling through the exhibitions.

The kidz at C&I Studios [Facebook] were hosting a great Instagram exhibit.

And down at The Projects space, the Greener exhibit focused on art that was made from recycled materials and natural resources and/or depicted nature.

Like these Francisco Sheuat pieces that used recycled soft drink cans. Here's Caribbean Medley...

...and this flamingo that was also totally constructed from Coke cans.

Amazing stuff.

The F.A.T Village Art Walk is held on the last Saturday of every month. [Facebook]


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SFDB Morning Chuckle

This could definitely be useful on a Monday...

The Convertible AnyChair

-via Fancy



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The Cooler

It's all about the rain in this morning's news. There's that and more in your Cooler. Enjoy.

A- Herald: Get used to the rain.

The National Weather Service predicts the next few days will bring more of Sunday’s lousy weather, which had much of the area under a flood watch for most of the day.

B- Herald: South Florida's Culture of Corruption.

Rubio’s 2010 Senate campaign was fined $8,000 by the Federal Elections Commission, according to a just-released report that said it received “prohibited, excessive and other impermissible contributions totaling $210,173.09.”

C- Herald: Slideshow, Lauderdale Air Show.

D- CBS4: Your Only In Key West Moment of the Day.

KEY LARGO (CBSMiami) – About 144 conch shell blowers gathered in Key Largo for a world record attempt for the most people simultaneously blowing conch shells.

When sanctioned by the World Records Academy, the event at Sundowners Restaurant is to break a 2009 record of 127 simultaneous conch honkers.

E- WPTV: Darwin nods.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - A 16-year-old Palm Beach Gardens girl remained hospitalized in critical condition Friday night after falling from the roof of a moving vehicle Thursday. The teen was taking part in a dangerous stunt known as 'car surfing', according to police.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Yes, it's Monday. A wet, windy Monday. 'Nuff said. Here's your morning Sift.

A- Transit Miami says that the Critical Mass/Go Dutch event on Friday evening was a huge success.

In what turned out to be a momentous night for cycling in Miami, nearly 2,000 Miamians attended The “Go Dutch! Orange Bike-In Festival” after April’s Critical Mass bicycle ride on Friday, April 27 at Grand Central Park.

B- Blind Tastes is prepping everyone for Derby Day at Bourbon Steak.

This year we will be heading back to Bourbon Steak in Aventura, FL for another fantastic Derby Day experience. Last year was an awesome time. The ladies came dressed to impress in big hats, and the fellas enjoyed the $5 mint julep specials while hoping their horse came in for a nice payday.

C- Overtown of the 40's, 50's and 60's is remembered by The305.Com as part of his Old School Sunday feature.

D- Bark Bark Woof Woof tells us about another guy who is making loads of money as one of God's intermediaries.



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Your Evening Sift

Was today a washout or what? Sheesh. I wound up watching a kickass movie and got some things done around the house. I hear this stuff is supposed to stick around for a while. Get used to it. Here's your evening Sift.

A- Naoe has completed the transition to their new digs on Brickell Key but have no fear, not much has changed and the Naoe worship continues at Food for Thought.

I'm not usually a superstitious person, but I do worry that a place can lose its "mojo" when it moves locations.[1] Any such worries about Naoe were absolved by my visit to Naoe on Brickell Key.

B- Random Pixels trains his sights on Herald column writer Fabiola Santiago who he accuses of having an affair with her boss and who apparently made the mistake of recently criticizing Miami filmmaker Billy Corben's use of social media.

One affair the Herald managed to cover up was between Fabiola Santiago and her immediate superior at the Herald's sister publication, El Nuevo Herald.

Santiago was the city editor of the paper in the 1989. When Santiago was promoted to managing editor by the man with whom she was having affair, her colleagues staged a revolt.

C- Rainy day pictures at Some Blogging Guy.

D- Redland Rambles shows us how they bag the beans for the CSA shares they send out.

Bag, weigh, tie, count. Bag, weigh, tie, count. The two teams bantered back and forth as they packed with a quick and easy flow that came from weeks of working together. Bag, weigh, tie, count. In 20 minutes it was all over — the crew packed 115 one-pound bags and 242 half-pound bags — and it wasn’t even 7:30 yet!

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Voter Enthusiasm

Answering the question, which presidential candidate excites younger voters the most.

-via Think Progress


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2012 White House Correspondent's Dinner

Last night was the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner where the press and media mix it up with the President and exchange jokes that poke fun at each other.

President Obama did a nice job in the following video. Make sure you catch the dig at the Huffington Post that comes at the the 8 minute mark.



Jimmy Kimmel started off strong with some good digs but seemed to lose the audience somewhere around the 10 or 11 minute mark. The remainder of his speech seemed rather uncomfortable to me.






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Your Sunday Moodsetter

Do yourself a favor and watch this full screen.





Yosemite Range of Light from Shawn Reeder


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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

It's a rainy and wet start to your Sunday morning. Here at SFDB HQ, we're hunkered down with some coffee and classical music as the rain fills the lake in the back. I don't recall the level being so high in April before. I've put together a rather decent morning Sift for you so...enjoy!

A- I hope Nikon Miami has more Lauderdale Air Show pictures coming. For now, you'll have to be satisfied with just this one.

B- Some Blogging Guy makes a visit to the emergency room.

The obvious concern was a micro-stroke, or what they call a transient ischemic attack. At the emergency room they ran a blood test which came out OK, then a chest X-ray which was OK, then an CT-Scan of my brain, That was OK too. By this time, after several hours in the hospital I was having a full fledged panic attack and my blood pressure was so high they were considering checking me into a room.

C- South Florida Classical Review shares a calendar of upcoming classical events in South Florida.

D- Go Hydrology! makes a disgusting find.

E- Carlos Miller celebrates his blog's 5 year anniversary by announcing a couple new initiatives that commenters thus far have mixed feelings about.

Three arrests. Eleven charges. Multiple assaults. Countless threats. One pending lawsuit. Another future lawsuit. And a single conviction I had reversed on appeal.

And let’s not forget the more than 7.3 million page views racked up along the way, the countless media interviews and a slate of public talks throughout the country where I’ve educated people on their rights to take pictures in public.

Happy Birthday, PINAC. These last five years have been quite a ride.

F- I didn't think Lauderdale could get as wacky as Miami-Dade but Eye on Miami finds evidence to indicate otherwise at yesterday's Lauderdale Air Show.


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SFDB Saturday Night Turndown Service

Al Jarreau, Summertime



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Your Evening Sift

I heard the Lauderdale Air Show was still held today despite the bad weather. Yes, I literally "heard." The SFDB Weekend Widget remains active in the right sidebar so check it out right after you enjoy your evening Sift.

A- Nineteen new photos are up at The Street.

B- Historic tours of Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and Lake Worth that are supplemented with food and beverage experiences are now available, according to South Florida Food and Wine.

Taste History Culinary Tours brings together the history, culture, and tastings of food along with facts about the historic districts and pioneer people of Delray Beach, Boynton Beach and Lake Worth while highlighting historic buildings and showcasing the influence of the agriculture industry. Taste History is a four-hour narrated combination tour of bus riding and walking through historic districts and visits to over a dozen eateries, markets and farms.

C- Buy your meat at Gaucho Ranch in Miami's Little River District, says Midtown Chic-a.

Gaucho Ranch is a small warehouse-type venue that sells 100% grass-fed meats, with no hormones, no antibiotics, lower cholesterol and fat, and more Omega 3. In a nutshell, the owner brings meat over from Uruguay where animals eat what nature intended; grass, wild flowers and clovers. For those of us with roots in Latin America, we know how different the meats taste when compared to what you get in the States… Grass-fed meat just tastes different, better.

D- Searching for Signs reminds us that our intentions are important when we're proposing a budget but not when we're actually comparing the aforementioned budget to what the Bible teaches. Also, abortion. Always, abortion.

Here’s a term liberal Catholics ought to learn more about: prudential judgment. These well-intentioned folks who are jumping on the U.S. bishops’ bandwagon in criticism of Ryan’s plan should be mindful that no matter how one feels about the effectiveness of the plan for the most needy, Ryan is indeed applying an honest, rational and thoughtful interpretation of Catholicism into his plan.

E- The Metrorail got a workout, too, during the Corporate Run, as the picture posted by Transit Miami shows us.

F- Miami Condo Investments gives us a glimpse inside the ridiculously ostentatious quarters of Penthouse 2 at Continuum South Beach.

The 6 bedroom/7.5 bath residence offers over 11,000 square feet of interior space, over 6,000 square feet of terrace, a rooftop pool, a private in-unit elevator and staff quarters. Also included is another 1,200 square feet of separate guest suites, a lofted beachfront cabana and 10 parking spaces.

G- Another example of how ridiculously right the Republican Party has moved is up at Discourse.


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SFDB Cool Of The Day

Porsche 911 GT3

-via fancy



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Terrorism Returns To Miami?

 From today's Miami Herald...

A pre-dawn blaze that destroyed the Coral Gables offices of Airline Brokers, one of the eight companies that charter flights to Cuba, was “deliberate,” law enforcement officials said Friday.

Deborah Cox, spokesperson for the State Fire Marshal’s office, said the cause of the blaze was under investigation by her agency, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Coral Gables fire department. She declined further comment.

But law enforcement officials told El Nuevo Herald that the fire was “deliberate.” They declined further comment, and asked for anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on the case.

Babalu Blog, who never seems to be without something to say about everything, linked to the story this morning and stood mute, however commenters are predictably busy pointing their fingers at the Castro regime [via Twitter, if you absolutely must].

This incident could be a number of things, of course. Could be a distressed business owner trying to collect on their insurance policy. Might be the work of Castro agents attempting to cast a negative light on Cuban-American hardliners. And, lastly, it's quite possible this is actually the work of said Cuban-American hardliners.

Vivian Mannerud, owner of Airline Brokers, told CBS4 that all this isn't exactly new to her.

Mannerud said she has been the victim of threats in the past because of the trips she arranges to Cuba.

“We had to have armed security guard around my house for about a month,” Mannerud said. “There were many, many threats…other threats with suspicious package in my car and so on.”

If Cuban-American hardliners are involved, it is the first time in a long time that such an attack has occurred. So long, I can't even remember the last incident. But as the Herald points out, it's important to remember Miami's history...

In a 12-month period in 1975-1976, South Florida saw more terrorist attacks than the Middle East, according to news media reports from that time. The vast majority was carried out by anti-Castro radicals, but some were suspected to be the work of Castro agents trying to stir up trouble among exile groups and the U.S. government.

So the question is whether or not this is the beginning of a long, hot and potentially violent summer in Miami or something else.

Hopefully, the investigation will give us answers.


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One Chance

No words needed...







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Your Saturday Moodsetter

For the full background on River, a Keys dog and Australian sheepdog/labrador mix, make sure you visit Mac Stone Photography.




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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Overcast Saturdays pretty much blow. With that being said, it's still better than a weekday because you have the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar to brighten your day. Here's your morning Sift.

A- Salty Eggs interviews Trouble with Girls founder and organizer Janette Valentine, who attended the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.

Yeah they probably do that to get their stats up. So they can say this percentage of people got jobs.

Exactly. Yeah. And the funny thing is that when you go to job placement they pretty much say like ohh if you get a job at like Walgreen’s in the photo department, that’s pretty much considered in the industry. And I’m like no. That’s not why I went to school dude.

B- Transit Miami provides a couple alternative methods for getting to the Fort Lauderdale Air Show this weekend.

C- Coconut Grove Grapevine discovers that citizens aren't allowed into Miami City Hall at times.

A few weeks ago, a couple of friends and I tried to enter City Hall on a weekday and we were denied entrance by the security guard. She said that there was a hearing going on and no one was allowed in. Since when does the city hold secret hearings in City Hall chambers?

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SFDB Late Night Politics

Stephen Colbert is hilarious as he mocks the Right's idiotic outrage over...well...what could it be today?

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

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Your Evening Sift

Just got done updating the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar, if you're interested. Otherwise, enjoy your Friday evening Sift, readers.

A- F.A.T. Village's Art Walk is tomorrow and Arterpillar's Art Of Saturday has a rundown of what you can expect to see there.

B- Transit Miami has a crime alert for Metrorail riders.

C- South Florida Lawyers posts a video of lawyers actually doing some good things in the community.

D- Eater Miami points to 10 late night dining spots in Miami-Dade County.

E- A Cuban sandwich place would fit perfectly in the Grove, says Coconut Grove Grapevine.

Recently a friend and I were at Sergio's, La Carreta and El Rey de Las Fritas. Any of those places would be perfect in Coconut Grove.

F- Eye on Miami challenges Marco Rubio on climate change.

G- Here's another fancy schmancy luncheon that I wasn't invited to...but South Florida Food and Wine was. Naturally.

Last week I attended a luncheon with Pierre Casenave the winemaker for Veuve Clicquot at Area 31. Pierre took us through the history of the wine as well as an in depth tasting from the well known Yellow Label to the soon to be released 2004 La Grande Dame, from Veuve Clicquot’s special selection.

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Flashback Friday

1974...





The O'Jays, For The Love Of Money



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SFDB Bumper Sticker Of The Day

Seems about right.




- via Daily Kos


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Conservative Blasphemies

Georgetown University faculty and administrators recently took the time to explain to Republican Congressman Paul Ryan why his plan of eliminating social programs that benefit the poor and needy in order to maintain tax cuts for the wealthy was probably not something that's exactly in keeping with the Bible that Ryan and other conservative Christians like to hold up when they defend their budget proposals.

Dear Rep. Paul Ryan,

Welcome to Georgetown University. We appreciate your willingness to talk about how Catholic social teaching can help inform effective policy in dealing with the urgent challenges facing our country. As members of an academic community at a Catholic university, we see your visit on April 26 for the Whittington Lecture as an opportunity to discuss Catholic social teaching and its role in public policy.

However, we would be remiss in our duty to you and our students if we did not challenge your continuing misuse of Catholic teaching to defend a budget plan that decimates food programs for struggling families, radically weakens protections for the elderly and sick, and gives more tax breaks to the wealthiest few. As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has wisely noted in several letters to Congress – “a just framework for future budgets cannot rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services to poor persons.” Catholic bishops recently wrote that “the House-passed budget resolution fails to meet these moral criteria.”

In short, your budget appears to reflect the values of your favorite philosopher, Ayn Rand, rather than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Her call to selfishness and her antagonism toward religion are antithetical to the Gospel values of compassion and love.

Cuts to anti-hunger programs have devastating consequences. Last year, one in six Americans lived below the official poverty level and over 46 million Americans – almost half of them children – used food stamps for basic nutrition. We also know how cuts in Pell Grants will make it difficult for low-income students to pursue their educations at colleges across the nation, including Georgetown. At a time when charities are strained to the breaking point and local governments have a hard time paying for essential services, the federal government must not walk away from the most vulnerable.

While you often appeal to Catholic teaching on “subsidiarity” as a rationale for gutting government programs, you are profoundly misreading Church teaching. Subsidiarity is not a free pass to dismantle government programs and abandon the poor to their own devices. This often misused Catholic principle cuts both ways. It calls for solutions to be enacted as close to the level of local communities as possible. But it also demands that higher levels of government provide help -- “subsidium”-- when communities and local governments face problems beyond their means to address such as economic crises, high unemployment, endemic poverty and hunger. According to Pope Benedict XVI: "Subsidiarity must remain closely linked to the principle of solidarity and vice versa.”

Along with this letter, we have included a copy of the Vatican's Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, commissioned by John Paul II, to help deepen your understanding of Catholic social teaching.

Ouch.

Ryan, like most Republicans who are confronted with their hypocrisies and pretense, avoided owning up to his previously held beliefs and immediately reversed track on his affection for the very un-Christianlike Ayn Rand.

So principled, they are.

I'm no expert, but it sure looks to me like that Catholic vote isn't as "conservative" as some conservative Catholics are hoping [and probably praying] for.

In fact, it might be quite the opposite.


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South Florida Cartoons

Chan Lowe, Sun-Sentinel

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The Cooler

Do yourself a favor this morning and when you have a few minutes, read "H" below. Lots of news out there this morning. Enjoy your Cooler.

A- Herald: Video, Corporate Run in Miami.

B- Herald: The downtown trolley launches today.

The orange-and-green, retro-style trolleys will run every 15 minutes and take passengers on Biscayne Boulevard south from the Omni district, across the Miami River and to the end of the Brickell financial and residential district, with marked stops at every block.

The trolleys will also make three loops: one around Mary Brickell Village, another out to Brickell Key, and a third past Margaret Pace Park just north of the old Omni complex.

C- Herald: Memories of Marino.

For the first time in 29 years, the Dolphins placed their biggest bet in the craps game that is the NFL Draft on a quarterback.

And he’s excited.

After the Dolphins used the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft on Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill, the smart young man working toward being an orthopedic surgeon couldn’t stop working the word “excited” and its derivatives like 10-yard crossing routes in a West Coast offense. Tannehill projected the giddy optimism, appropriately, of a recent college graduate hitting the labor market with a job in place.

D- Herald: Thank goodness there will be something to do besides eat and drink.

Guests aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s next ship, Norwegian Breakaway, will be able to actually walk The Plank.

With safety harnesses on, of course.

A platform that extends eight feet over the side of the ship, The Plank is part of a new three-story sports complex and water park area that will dominate the top decks.

E- Herald: Why are people this stupid?

North Miami Mayor Andre Pierre, like many homeowners, borrowed against his home at the height of the real estate market. When the market crashed and his home equity was wiped out, Pierre stopped paying the mortgage.

[...]

Pierre and his wife, Bernadette, a Miami-Dade high school teacher, bought their three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in 2003 for $353,000. The home is in the San Souci gated community east of Biscayne Boulevard, where homes front Biscayne Bay.

In 2007, they borrowed $567,000 against their 2,495-square-foot home, based on a 59 percent jump in the home’s value over four years. They took out two loans — one for $417,000, another for $150,000. At the time, the home’s market value was approximately $500,000, according to the county property appraiser’s records.

Nine days after taking out the loans, Pierre bought a North Miami office building at 550 NE 124th St. for $375,000, records show. He purchased the building under his own name.

F- Herald: Stay away from Lauderdale beach this weekend.

The Lauderdale Air Show doesn’t officially begin until Saturday, but anyone who has driven on the beach the past few days has already felt its effect.

G- Herald: They write letters.

Killer reputation

Re the April 21 article, Blame bad pet owners for this extreme law: I find Joe Cardona’s comments on the subject to be uninformed and offensive at best. Perhaps he hasn’t lived in South Florida as long as I have, but I have read of numerous unprovoked attacks on humans by pit bulls resulting in death and near death with horrible disfigurement.

I thank The Herald for reporting on these incidents and I thank the county commission for their action to ban pit bulls from the county. I lived in Miami-Dade for 28 years before moving to Broward and I sincerely wish Broward would follow with a similar ban.

Pit bulls didn’t get their reputation as killers without earning it time and again. Their owners have been killed, along with totally innocent children, adults and other pets.

I certainly don’t condemn every pit bull as a killer but when one such breed is involved time after time, government has a responsibility to do something to protect its citizens.

Alan Brown, Plantation

H- TC Palm: A love story that you don't want to miss.

Reading the love letters from his younger self inspired him to write a book in 2007. He titled it, "A Story of Love and War."

In it, he recalls the day in 1945 when he finally returned to Laurie at her family's farm north of Detroit.

"The sun was beginning to set; oaks and maples lined the road. After a mile or so, I came to the top of a small rise in the road and I could see her walking towards me, having in tow her 10-year-old kid brother, Larry. She waved to me as I did to her, she dragging Larry behind her and me dragging my duffle bag. We ran towards each other.

I- South Florida Business Journal: Airport rankings are out.

Minneapolis – Saint Paul International Airport ranked the best airport in America by Travel + Leisure readers, followed by Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Orlando International Airport and San Francisco International Airport .

The worst airports in America were all in major metropolitan areas. LaGuardia Airport ranked the worst, followed by Los Angeles International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

J- CBS4: Life in South Florida.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – More than a dozen people have been arrested in an insurance fraud scam responsible for keeping car insurance premiums sky high for the rest of us, according to police.

[...]

Police said the clinics were billing insurance companies for injuries that never happened and care that was never provided, but what they didn’t know was that some of these “phony patients” were undercover cops.

Those arrested included clinic owners, doctors, therapists, and receptionists who are accused of being part of this massive insurance fraud.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Well, we're here. TGIF and give me the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar because I'm ready to start the weekend. Let's get going.

A- Take a look at which Republican senators had the chutzpah to vote against the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act at Bark Bark Woof Woof. Hint: one of them has pretended to be the son of Cuban-American exiles.

B- Carlos Miller is optimistic about his court case.

My court date went extremely well. We received the continuance we were seeking on the basis that we needed to depose four more officers.

C- Things are getting loud over on Miami Beach as residents have apparently had enough of corrupt city employees, as Random Pixels notes.

Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower got into several shouting matches with some of the protestors. At one point it appeared that her eyeballs were on the verge of exploding.

D- Go Hydrology! describes the 4 South Florida seasons, at least when it comes to landscape hydrology.




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United We Can't Stand Them

Hilarious Colbert......

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

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Your Evening Sift

You have the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar and there's a great evening Sift right below so what are you waiting for? Enjoy!

A- Obalesque posts a frank discussion of the G-Spot.

And while its precise location varies with the individual, there are some vaguely general rules. For example, I learned that among many of the Jewish girls I dated while growing up, the G-Spot was located in Bloomingdale’s. Others found it buried in chocolate.

B- Former New Times employee and now Salty Eggs' contributor Erica K. Landau calls out the Broward New Times for a shockingly misogynistic blog post about fat women.

Titled “Eight Pleasantly Plump Female Musicians We’d Like to Get Down With” — a headline which works against its own ostensibly implied, complimentary purpose by assuming “plump” (whatever that means) is problematic enough to warrant a coupling with “pleasant” — the blog wasn’t about “proclaiming exceptions” or “wearing a strong enough pair of beer goggles,” claimed author Ric Delgado.

“This is about loving some BBWs. The women with curves blowing out doors and back fat sloshing over bra straps … It’s about acknowledging that even the big girls need some love.”

C- Arterpillar previews the Greener show that's going on this weekend at F.A.T. Village.

D- Culture Designers takes us inside the Dorissa Building in Wynwood that is currently being occupied by Gibson and has become quite the scene.

Yes, that’s right, we’re talkin’ ‘bout Gibson Guitars, perhaps the most legendary brand in the land. Last night the site-specific hotspot hosted a BMI showcase with Cuban/Canadian sensation Alex Cuba, who had a crowd of a cool couple hundred bopping beneath some very impressive displays.

E- Eye on Miami tells us about their recent driver license renewal experience and it has a sad and pitiful ending.

F- Between the Bun in Boynton Beach should not be missed, according to the Burger Beast.

The fries are unbelievable, yes I said unbelievable. I felt like going behind the counter and stuffing my pockets with them….that good.

G- Beached Miami's Instapix Pic of the Week is a good one, too.

H- What's the difference between Broward and Miami-Dade canals? Under the Sun gives us a few answers.

Andrew Cuba, the manager of Marine Facilities for the City of Fort Lauderdale and a Weston resident who has lived in Miami, says,”There are different ways of looking at this,” he explains. “Fort Lauderdale has a more extensive canal system… [and] the canals here are more undeveloped and more pristine.”

He explains that the city’s massive waterway system works its way through more undeveloped areas, as well, which is why the water is typically cleaner and better for recreational activities.

Cuba also says that Fort Lauderdale has twice as many small canals all over the city than Miami does. He says this makes the city’s waterways more conducive to paddling.

I- Make your weekend theater plans with the help of South Florida Theatre Scene.

J- Annush on the Causeway expects Gigi restaurant to cater to her special needs diet by serving food that is not on the menu.

A few months back I had an unpleasant incident at Gigi, a midtown Miami restaurant. To make a long story short, I wanted an off the menu dish that I had eaten there as a special and had then ordered repeatedly as an off-menu item, and I was told that they wouldn’t make it. I don’t know what changed, but despite the fact that they had been making the dish for me for months, they decided that they were not going to make it anymore.

I wasn’t asking for a lasagna. I was asking for vegetable fried rice, which coincidentally is the base for duck fried rice- a regular menu item. The restaurant was practically empty. Still, they were steadfast. So I took to Twitter to express my dissatisfaction with the decision because I felt I was being discriminated against due to my food allergies and vegetarianism.

K- Random Pixels shares a story from his past.

L- South Florida Classical Review recommends Bluebeard's Castle at the New World Center this weekend.

The New World Symphony offers a rare opportunity to hear Bela Bartok’s opera Bluebeard’s Castle in two performances this weekend. This Expressionist masterpiece, which premiered in 1917, is a dialogue between the infamous Bluebeard and his bride Judith on their wedding night as she seeks to find out the secret behind the seven doors in his dark castle.

M- Another vulnerable, funny and well-written post from Wide Lawns and Narrow Minds about life and parenting.

Plants though? I don't even want to get into that. Two years in a row my New Year's Resolution was to just try to keep a potted rosemary alive and both years it was dead by MLK Day. I was the Ted Bundy of gardening.

N- The Green Parrot has formed a security detail to guard Smirk.



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SFDB Cool Of The Day

Mercedes-Benz 300SL

-via fancy




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Name That Spot #35

Name That Spot is a periodic feature in which SFDB readers attempt to identify the South Florida location of the photo that is displayed.

Name the building or the address where you can find this mural.

Past winners include Rydel[2], LAX2MIA, Frodnesor, Karendipitee, Superbee, C.L.J.[2], Miami Bike Scene, CultureDesigners, Gretchen, Balou[3], Gus, brwass, smedvin, Michael Kain, The Chowfather[3], Lori, CB[2], South Florida Food and Wine, Whack-A-Mole[2] and Alex de Carvalho[2]. There's been four Stumpers and one identified by "Anonymous."



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What's That About Karma, Marco?

Remember when The Senator Who Pretended He Was The Son Of An Exile got some yuck yucks from a friendly audience for making fun of Obama's use of a teleprompter?




Yesterday, El Pretendiente got hit with some well-deserved karma.

Watch...




In some circles that might be called a sh*t-eating grin.

Bon Appetite, Marco!



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SFDB Morning Chuckle

-via Cyanide and Happiness



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The Cooler

Here are some of the stories I found interesting in this morning's news outlets.

A- Herald: A city for sale.

The measure, sponsored by Commissioner Frank Carollo, would amend Miami’s code to exempt the city from prohibitions on advertising on “any portion’’ of the public right-of-way.

That includes “trash receptacles, lamp post, electric light, telegraph, telephone or utility line pole, hydrant, parking meter, bus bench or shelter, news rack, shade tree or tree box, any wall, fence or barricade, or upon the piers, columns, trusses, girders, railings, gates or other parts of any public bridge, overpass or viaduct, or any public structure or building.’’

The stated goal: “To generate additional revenue for the City.’’ The proposed amendments would require only that the ad proceeds go to support city or city-sponsored “transportation programs.’’

B- Herald: Video, South Florida firefighters at yesterday's a Secretary's Day luncheon.

C- Herald: PortMiami's dredging project settles with environmentalists.

Environmentalists, who had argued that two years of blasting and digging in the port’s main channel would leave long-lasting scars in Biscayne Bay, agreed to drop an administrative challenge that threatened to delay the work for months or longer.

In exchange, Miami-Dade County has agreed to an additional $2.3 million in restoration and monitoring projects and other tweaks, such as a narrower daily blasting window, intended to enhance protection for corals, sea grass beds and other marine life.

[...]

Laura Reynolds, executive director of the Tropical Audubon Society, said the settlement didn’t address all of environmentalists’ concerns but had “raised the bar’’ on protecting the bay’s surrounding, fish-rich waters.

D- CBS4: The latest controversy at the Miami Beach PD.

The officers went into the crowd and arrested the man in blue shorts portrayed in the video. Police say he was drunk and after he was handcuffed, and he continued to lunge away from officers and began spitting in the lieutenant’s face.

That’s when, the chief said, the lieutenant applied a so-called “distraction blow” – a quick punch followed by a strike with an open hand. The chief said the officer did that to get control of the man and stop him from spitting.

The chief told CBS4’s Maggie Newland that the lieutenant reported the incident to his superiors, who conducted an investigation, standard protocol any time any kind of force is used. The chief said he viewed the video and it matched the lieutenant’s report.

E- CBS4: Life in South Florida.

Zita Staples, 83, was robbed in a Plantation neighborhood Tuesday afternoon, but did her best to keep her attacker from getting away, even using a walker as a weapon.

F- WSVN: Classic South Florida.

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (WSVN) -- A misspelled sign at an elementary school has one South Florida community buzzing.

The misspelling was found on the marquee outside Tradewinds Elementary School in Coconut Creek, where the school's motto is "We're in a Sunshine State of Learning."

Wednesday morning, parents like Debbie Ferreir realized the word "kindergarten" was actually spelled "kindegrten" on the sign. "I noticed that they take a while to get them updated," she said. "I think that's crazy, here at an elementary school."

G- WPTV: "Down here?"

Several law enforcement agencies across Palm Beach County and into the Treasure Coast say red light violations by officers are reviewed.

Allan Ortman with the City of West Palm Beach Police Department said 99.9 percent of the time, officers can justify running a red light.

[...]

"Down here, especially, people panic with blue lights and sirens behind them," Ortman said. "So if an officer doesn't have to use them, he finds it safer to go without them than to use them."

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

The SFDB Weekend Widget is up and running in the right sidebar so I'm guessing we gotta be getting close to Friday. You'll have plenty of time to check it out because the rest of the South Florida blogosphere was very quiet last night. Here's your morning Sift.

A- Bark Bark Woof Woof posts a nice quote from President Obama that he made during a recent Rolling Stone interview that defines the differences between the Democratic and Republican platforms.

B- Discourse wonders out loud if Marco Rubio has what it takes to be Vice President of the United States.

But what he doesn’t have is much national experience or much on his c.v. that suggests any particular thoughtfulness. And for me, at least, it is very hard to imagine he has yet accumulated the experience and knowledge that would make him someone you could comfortably imagine suddenly becoming President any time soon.

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Your Evening Sift

Your Over The Hump evening Sift. For that hump we just traveled over. I just bottled today's weather and I plan on selling it at the end of July. I'll make a million dollars, easy. Enjoy.

A- Under the Sun takes a quick look at a book about South Florida's hydrologic history. The post also contains a vintage video about water control problems in the area back in the '50's.

B- Florida Keys Girl is part of some You Tube Channel show called "3 Loud Women" that debuts on May 2nd.

3 Loud Women, the lifestyle show featuring yours truly, along with 2 other Loudies, Teana McDonald and Allyson Tomchin. Our topics cover the social (how to throw a great dinner party) to the serious (why your teenager is a snarling beast), and lots in between. Most of all, we have fun.

C- A couple high profile appeals involving South Florida defendants were ruled upon by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and Southern District of Florida Blog has the outcomes.

D- Shorter Searching for Signs....

Romney needs to stop playing soft with Obama and instead should start attacking the President for creating 3.7 million jobs, deporting higher numbers of illegal immigrants, finding and killing Osama bin Laden, saving the U.S. car industry, supporting the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and overseeing record gains in the stock market, among other pitiful things.

E- Take a look at the collection of unusual Florida police department patches that The Heat Lightning has assembled.

F- Coconut Grove Grapevine feels that the Grove can become a "Culver City of the East."

Anyway, the point of all this is that Coconut Grove can be it's own little corporate Culver City. There is talk of setting up a techie place, sort of like the Regus shared office spaces, but this would be for computer geeks. Also, many would like to see movie and tv production continue in Coconut Grove. I have one friend who would love the Expo Center to stay as a film studio even long after Burn Notice is gone. It's an interesting thought.

G- "Winter's unexpected last sight" at Go Hydrology!

Enjoy it while it lasts because the "hot and humid" season is almost here!

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Willard Mitt Romney: Man Of The People

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SFDB's We Live Here

-via miami fever



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Despicable Them: Part Three

There might be nothing more condescending and snooty than a Republican TV personality making $10 million a year for sitting on his ass and hating on the President telling poor folks that beans and rice every night is really not all that bad...

“I don't believe people are going to bed hungry. ... For, instance I have friends of mine who eat rice and beans all the time. Beans protein, rice. Inexpensive. You can make a big pot of this for a week for negligible amounts of money and you can feed your whole family.

Look, you should have vegetables and fruit in there as well, but if you need to survive you can survive off it. It's not ideal but you could get some cheap meat and throw in there as well for protein. There are ways to live really, really cheaply.”

Seems like lack of compassion and empathy are a common thread that we see woven through conservative ranks time after time.






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The President Slow Jams The News

Because you deserve a 2nd dose of chuckle today...



I'm thinking that this could definitely qualify as a "cool of the day" post, too.




-via HuffPo


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SFDB Morning Chuckle

10 practical jokes...






-via Like Cool



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The Cooler

And off we go with a review of some of the highlights from this morning's mainstream media feeds.

A- Herald: It's why we live here.

Wednesday looks like another clear, sunny day in South Florida.

After a cool morning, temperatures will heat up to the high-70s with a light breeze. Skies will remain clear as it cools down to the 60s in the evening.

B- Herald: Rules for parking your pick up at your home in Coral Gables.

• Only the front of the truck can face the street. The truck would have to be backed-in toward the property and no portion of the vehicle could block the swale, sidewalk or other right-of-way.

• The truck has a covered bed made of standard equipment -- not a hunk of plywood, for example.

• The truck has no commercial markings, advertising or added appendages.

• The truck has no more than two axles and four wheels.

C- South Florida Business Journal: Because Subway customers are demanding ambiance.

Subway will launch its café concept in South Florida, beginning with a location at Florida Atlantic University .

The Sun Sentinel reported that the Subway Café, which launched in Washington in 2008, features upscale amenities such as leather seating, flat-screen televisions and an expanded menu that includes paninis and pastries.

D- CBS4: Doesn't have what it takes to live on South Beach.

Charles Wille, who lives at the Van Ness Condos at 1390 Ocean Drive, said he received a notice from the building manager which said is dog Javiera had to go. Wille said according to those who complained, his dog’s bad breath stinks up the elevator and enclosed common areas.

E- WPTV: Crappy cruise.

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. - Four young women boarded the Bahamas Celebration at the Port of Palm Beach Saturday. It was the beginning of a cruise they hoped they would always remember. "It will be memorable but not necessarily in a good way," said Mallory Barnett, who lives in Tampa.

The fun lasted, Barnett said, until about 2:15 a.m., Sunday morning. That's when Barnett and friends, staying in Cabin 3311, say they heard a 'gurgling' noise coming from their restroom. "I walked into the bathroom and the shower drains were overflowing and so was the sink and they were full of sewage water," said Barnett. "It was brown and disgusting and the smell was unmistakable."

Passenger Tracy Mendoza snapped several photographs showing brown sludge oozing out of each drain, including the sink and the shower. The passengers said the mystery liquid spread though their cabin's carpet and even spilled out into the hallway. "It soon became apparent that this was not just water, it was coming literally pouring out of the walls," said Mendoza.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Haven't stepped outside yet this morning but I know it's cool because the A/C hasn't kicked on since I got up. Here's your Hump Day morning Sift. Enjoy.

A- Random Pixels links to a collection of photos taken when President Obama paid a visit to a Boulder bar last night.

B- Swampstyle takes us for a drive along NW 54th Street in Miami.

C- Superbee reviews The Dining Room in one [large] single paragraph.

All in all, there was very little I'd change about the place. Which is saying something. I love to complain. Check it out.

D- Carlos Miller is going to trial today even though he just had hair transplant surgery and he needs money.

But we need at least $5,000 to keep this going. If they dismiss the case, then that money will be applied to the civil suit I plan on filing afterward.

So I’ve launched a Kick Starter campaign to raise $5,000. I've been trying to set it up for the past two hours but they are still requiring me to jump through all kinds of hoops, so I will leave you with the preview page for now because I need to get to bed to be in court by 8 a.m. or else they will put a bench warrant out on me.

E- Bark Bark Woof Woof imagines a Republican President and Congress.

No, I'm kidding; I would not leave the country because of an election outcome I didn't like. But if by "transformational" Ezra means the destruction of every safety net and progressive program put in place since my mom was gumming on her Zwieback biscuits, this country is going to be a wasteland of stark contrasts between the privileged and the abandoned. And there are a lot of us who don't want to see that happen. So for those of you who were disappointed that Barack Obama didn't personally deliver you your rainbows and unicorns on January 21, 2009, and who think that by not voting in November will register your flouncing disapproval of the whole sorry mess, don't come crying to me when the nutballs take over.

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SFDB Late Night Politics

Go to bed laughing at Fox News...

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

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Your Evening Sift

What a great evening get out and take a stroll around the neighborhood which is exactly what I did when I got home tonight. I get the feeling this is the last of the cool stuff for a while. Enjoy your evening Sift.

A- Eye on Miami went out to the Everglades on Monday to mix and mingle with Vice President Biden and his entourage and brought back lots of photos.

To recap Biden said something about the plan to increase the size of the Tamiani Bridge to create more water flow to the Everglades -- everyone cheered (was I listening? A bit). That will make Lynda Bell's 8 1/2 square mile buddies angry.

B- South Florida Food and Wine posts her hodgepodge collection of links to upcoming South Florida food and wine events.

C- The Green Parrot's beloved Smirk gets tagged by duped tourists but is restored in less than 24 hours.

Apparantly using Sharpies comandeered from a nearby table where the Conch Republic Foster Childrens Fund had set up shop for a fundraiser, two still-to-be-identified women handed the Sharpies out to unwitting tourists crowded in the bar beneath Smirk.

Using clueless tourists as their agents, the two women prodded folks to get in on the fun, and assured them that it was an acceptable Green Parrot tradition.

In an instant the damage was done.

D- Burger Beast can't recommend La Casa de las Fritas Cubanas in Little Havana.

Mayo? Burger Buns? Canned Potato Sticks? Lettuce? Tomato? I think what makes it all so bad to me is that the Frita patty was actually pretty good. The patty had a very heavy handed chorizo taste which you don’t find in most Fritas nowadays as smoked paprika now does the job . It pains me to dislike this joint because it had potential to be something greater. La Casa de las Fritas Cubanas? Unfortunately I think not.

E- Remember when Key West seceded from the United States? Random Pixels does.


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Nick Gentry @ Robert Fontaine Gallery

Cool video about the Nick Gentry Collective Memory show that ran during April Art Walk at the Robert Fontaine Gallery.

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SFDB Post Of The Week

SFDB selects its Post of the Week by going back and reviewing all the Sifts that we've done over the past 7 days. We find the best post of the week and note the runners ups as we judge them to be.

Last week's collection of Sifts created a nice list of PotW nominees that wasn't very long but had a comfortable balance to it. Let's check them out.

Runners-Up: The death of The Band's Levon Helm produced a poignant essay penned by Eye on Miami. You know Man or Maniac? knows of what he speaks when he takes the City of Miami Beach to task for their selection of a film production company. Sex and the Beach's coverage of the recent lavish Hispanicize conference in Miami included a good mix of photos and a video.



Winner: Suntanned Mumford is new to the SFDB blogroll [only 18 mentions] but it's been doing a great job examining Miami's development and in some cases, such as last week's post titled Biscayne Plaza: MiMo Gem at Risk, glancing back into South Florida's history. Biscayne Boulevard and 79th Street is a busy intersection that everyone blows through on their way to somewhere else. But after reading Suntanned Mumford's informative post on the piece of architectural treasure that is located there, perhaps you'll slow a little and appreciate Biscayne Plaza a bit more the next time by...now that you know, thanks to Suntanned Mumford and this week's SFDB Post of the Week.


'Til next time, keep on blogging!


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SFDB Cool Of The Day

Toyota FJ20

- via Fancy



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The Cooler

Lotsa news this morning to review. Here's some of it.

A- Herald: Spoil sports.

Plastic rats were exterminated from BankAtlantic Center souvenir shops Monday for the remainder of the NHL playoffs, but Florida Panthers fans who bring their own synthetic rodents are welcome to (in fact, encouraged to) hurl them onto the ice — so long as they do it after the final horn.

[...]

‘‘Hopefully, the rat craze will continue, because it’s an opportunity for our fans to show their passion and energy, and the rat has become the rallying cry for our franchise,’’ said Panthers president Michael Yormark. ‘‘I love the rat tradition. It’s what makes Florida fans unique. But we have to be proactive and make sure the safety of the players remains our priority. One way to do that is limit the number of rats in the building, and then have our ushers monitor closely and eject anybody found throwing rats during play.’’

B- Herald: Republican lapdog.

Rubio, who’s on the list of possible running mates to Mitt Romney, took to the campaign trail Monday on the eve of the primary elections in Pennsylvania and four other states that should lock in the GOP presidential nomination for the former Massachusetts governor.

C- Herald: Video, Off duty copy catches burglars breaking into his house.

D- Herald: They write letters.

Build the Wal-Mart

Re the April 18 letter Block ‘invasion’ of Midtown Wal-Mart: I see snobbery behind Nancy Liebman’s rant against Wal-Mart’s proposed store in Midtown. If the proposed store were a Whole Foods, I’m sure she would be all for it.

I’m a recent arrival to Miami from Los Angeles, and one of the reasons I moved to Brickell was to minimize my auto travel. We desperately need both a Wal-Mart, as well as a Trader Joe’s and I’m sure that most residents would welcome them.

A Wal-Mart might not fit with the quaint, cutesy little shops in Miami Beach, but in an area like Brickell, filled with huge state-of-the-art skyscrapers, a Wal-Mart would not in any way be obtrusive.

William Ernest Brown, Miami

E- Palm Beach Post: Sounds about right.

When officers responded to a burglary in progress call at the Psychic Corner on U. S. 1 and Ocean Boulevard, they found Novatka outside standing near the entrance.

The glass to the storefront building was "completely smashed out," the affidavit states.

Television sets were ripped off the wall, and money and shards of glass were scattered on the floor.

"There was very little left in the store that was reusable," the report states.

Novatka told the officers God brought him to the business to damage it, the affidavit states.

While officers interviewed him, Novatka said he "destroyed" a white Jeep in Royal Palm Financial Center Parking Garage and agreed to take police to see his handiwork, the affidavit states.

Police saw had the 1997 Jeep had its hood up and doors open. Its leather interior was stabbed, sliced and torn, the radio ripped out and its electrical wires cut.

Using his own blood, Novatka wrote on the outside of the Jeep, "Fear God," the affidavit states.

F- South Florida Business Journal: Match made in heaven.

Starbucks has a parnership to open at six Disney properties, including the four parks in Orlando.

The Starbucks exteriors won't be so obvious, though. The Washington Post reported that they will be designed to blend into their surroundings, such as Disneyland Starbucks named after characters in the Three Little Pigs.

G- CBS4: Close enough for government work?

MIAMI (CBS4) -For some Miami Marlins fans, navigating to the new ballpark may be confusing. Apparently, it is to 311 operators too.

[...]

Miami-Dade 311 admits its mistake.

“It seems like the person in their head was thinking Sun Life Stadium while the other person obviously was talking about the Marlins and sent them a little too north than they needed to go,” said 311 spokesperson Liz Silva.

She said when the 311 agent typed in “stadium”, the computer pulled up Sun Life. While the Carrolls ended up on the wrong route, 311 says thousands of Marlins fans got correct information.

H- CBS4: Material for a new documentary?

MIAMI (CBS4) – South Florida filmmaker Billy Corben’s love for social media may cause a man’s robbery conviction to be thrown out.

An attorney for Florida City resident Angelo Williams says his client didn’t get a fair trial because Corben, who served as the jury foreman on the case, sent Twitter and Facebook messages to his followers about his experiences in the courtroom, according to CBS4 News partner The Miami Herald.

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